UFC legend Jon Jones continues to be difficult during negotiations for a fight with heavyweight star Tom Aspinall, and a new report has revealed a request that will only make finalizing a fight more problematic.
It is hard to debate that Jon Jones is not the greatest UFC fighter of all time. His resume, AKA hit list, is filled with a cornucopia of former UFC champions and MMA legends. He has very little to prove and that is why he has become very selective with the fights he takes as he winds down his iconic career.
Becoming the UFC heavyweight champion was one major challenge. He achieved that goal emphatically two years ago. Then facing division legend Stipe Miocic was his next great challenge. He fought him and decisively beat him in November at UFC 309. With those goals in the rearview finding an idea to motivate him back into the cage has proven difficult for the promotion.
Related: Jon Jones next fight – Three opponent options for “Bones'” Octagon return
A unification bout with interim heavyweight king Tom Aspinall would seem like a no-brainer. However, the 37-year-old publicly admitted his lack of interest in the bout last year. He would prefer a clash with Alex Pereira. But the former light heavyweight champion’s loss this month took the luster off that matchup.
There have been rumblings for some time that Jon Jones was making it difficult for UFC matchmakers when it comes to a bout with Aspinall. And a new report from veteran MMA insider Ariel Helwani added new details to negotiations that have gotten no closer to being finalized.
Jon Jones wants six months of training before Tom Aspinall fight?
“Well, clock is ticking on [a summer showdown]. Because I was told that Jon wants six months to prepare once the fight is locked in,” Helwani said in a new post on his YouTube channel [h/t MMA Mania].
If true, it makes a rumored matchup this summer — potentially at International Fight Week — very unlikely. It also just adds to growing fan frustration with the UFC legend. It took Jones three years to make the jump from light heavyweight to heavyweight. Then an injury led to another year-and-a-half gap between his title win and first defense.
If a fight was made today, it would mean another 10-month gap between fights for the reigning UFC heavyweight champion. It will be interesting to see how the company approaches these latest demands and if they pivot to a different opponent for Aspinall this summer.
- Jon Jones record: 28-1 (11 knockouts, 7 submissions)
